Saintly streak: Watson’s dream sporting week

For an Australian Rules Football, harness racing, and racing tragic, northwest Victorian sports fanatic Noel Watson had a week that dreams are made of recently.

Watson, of Swan Hill, is a dual-code owner and trainer and a die-hard St Kilda Football Club fan – and two Saturdays ago (July 26), his galloper Owl Witness won at Echuca, his pacer Triple Rock Saint saluted at Melton, and his beloved Saints carved out a historic victory at Marvel Stadium.

And to continue the run, three days later, Owl Witness backed up with another impressive win on home turf at Swan Hill and pacer Big Rig Saint claimed the fourth race at Shepparton trots later that night – while another of the team, Owen The Saints, was runner up at the same meeting, beaten less than a metre.

““I’m having a bit of luck, but I’ve got to take it while I can because as everyone knows, it can turn pretty quickly! Five wins and a second in the space of a week, you can’t complain about that!” Watson laughed.

“But the best of them all was getting to see the Saints in that history-making comeback over Melbourne at Marvel,” he said.

“I rarely get to games because I’m usually calling footy on the radio here, but it was a last-minute decision to jump in the car and head to Melbourne – and I’m so glad I did!”

A passionate owner-breeder, Watson proudly uses the “Saint” moniker in tribute to his lifelong devotion to St Kilda. He put Big Rig Saint’s second career win down to another stroke of good fortune.

“I had him for sale for $6000 after his first win, but we didn’t get one phone call.  Then when he won again, we decided to keep him because he is still eligible for two more Queensland bonuses,” Watson said.

A real estate agent by trade, Watson is a mainstay of the Swan Hill sporting community.

A capable footballer, he first got involved in harness racing while working and playing football in Bendigo in the late 1970s and introducing himself to the late Henry McDermott.

The good-humored businessman became a passionate trainer, driver, breeder and owner before expanding his equine interests into thoroughbreds.

He still holds both harness racing trainer and driver’s licences and a gallops trainer’s licence, but places most of his pacers with Bendigo-based trainer Julie Douglas and his gallopers with veteran Swan Hill trainer Con Kelly.

As the operator of a successful real estate business, Watson has also served the Swan Hill Harness Racing club for more than 40 years, including terms as president.

He has also run the local Central Murray Football League Show on local radio station 3SH including the live-call of the league’s match of the day each Saturday.

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink